Beaufort County students, parents to protest graduation plan this weekend. What to know
On Saturday, Beaufort County students will be marching in their caps and gowns.
But it won’t be for graduation.
Instead, they’ll be silently protesting the Beaufort County School District’s decision to hold virtual graduations, which has sparked backlash from students and parents alike as dozens of school districts across the state announce in-person, socially distanced ceremonies.
The protest will begin at 2 p.m. at Beaufort’s Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
Heather Butler, the Beaufort High School senior who organized the event, is asking participants to practice social distancing and wear masks, as well as graduation gowns and school t-shirts.
Butler said Thursday that the protest is intended to show school officials that families can follow social distancing guidelines for an in-person graduation ceremony, a concern that came up in Superintendent Frank Rodriguez’s letter to seniors announcing the district’s graduation plan.
“We’re just trying to be as respectful as possible, but we don’t want our voices silenced anymore,” she said.
Butler said she expects at least 40 attendees from May River, Battery Creek and Beaufort high schools.
“One of the arguments has always been, ‘it’s just a South of the Broad problem,’” she said. “... I’m part of a group of about 75 to 90 (Beaufort High) students who were talking about how they didn’t really like the idea of virtual graduation.”
The district’s graduation plan
The district will post digital ceremonies — made up of pre-recorded speeches and videos of seniors walking across the stage — to its YouTube channel and Facebook page on each high school’s planned graduation date.
Students will go to schools to film their walks in groups of 10. Originally, seniors were allowed to bring only two supporters with them; they can now bring four.
Everyone present must wear a mask, though seniors can remove them for their walk. Temperatures will be checked by school nurses at the door. Anyone with a temperature above 100 degrees will not be allowed to enter.
In addition, schools will hold drive-through celebrations on the day of graduation in which students will be congratulated by school staff and dignitaries. Seniors will receive their diplomas at the end of the drive-through celebrations.
Rodriguez announced the district’s graduation plan at the school board’s May 5 meeting. He soon faced a backlash from students and parents who wanted in-person ceremonies.
A petition from May River High School senior Jaylin Miller asking Rodriguez to reconsider graduation got more than 1,800 signatures, while the Facebook group “Beaufort County Class Of 2020 Needs a Proper Graduation” has more than 800 members.
At Tuesday’s school board meeting, several parents spoke out against the graduation plan.
“All our kids are hearing are excuses and the class of 2020 deserves better than this,” said Jamie Bodie, the administrator of the Proper Graduation Facebook group. “They deserve better than the easy way out, and that’s not what they’re getting.”
The board did not vote on the original graduation plan, but considered a motion to support Rodriguez’s decision Tuesday.
It was amended to say the board “appreciates the diligence Dr. Rodriguez has exercised regarding the 2020 graduation ceremonies” and “fully supports our Superintendent,” eliminating any reference to a decision. The amended motion passed unanimously.
Butler, who served as the colonel of Beaufort High’s JROTC unit and a drum major in the marching band, said her ideal ceremony would be “the proper traditional graduation as it’s always been, but we do understand a virus is going on.”
“Most of us just want to have that nostalgia of walking into the stadium and sitting in that chair,” she said. “Whether we’re spread apart or not, it does not matter. ...”
“We don’t have to shake the person’s hand or anything, but to sit in that chair and have a proper graduation like we’ve been waiting for for months.”
This story was originally published May 14, 2020 at 2:32 PM.